Sunday, August 31, 2014

This is Kelley
Suttenfield’s second CD. She has
performed in the USA and Europe, and her guitarist is a musician and educator with
20 years experience. On this enjoyable
CD they give us 5 jazz standards, plus songs by Neil Young (Harvest Moon); KD Lang (Wash Me Clean); Carol King (One Fine Day); Buffy Sainte-Marie (Until It’s Time For You To Go); and Bob
Dylan’s I’ll Be Your Baby Tonight.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Jazz.Coop is starting a new learning programme in
October, to be held in the refurbished Globe, which is the first co-operatively
owned music venue in the UK.

The new programme comprises a 10-week improvisation
course for all instruments, a 5-session advanced jazz guitar course and a
monthly amateur jam session. The programme builds on the success of the monthly
Play Jazz! workshops that Jazz.Coop has been running for the last 12 months in
association with Sage Gateshead. These workshops will continue to be held on
the first Saturday of each month at the Sage.

Jacob Karlzon is a new name to me but he
was initially widely known as a piano partner of Viktoria Tolstoy and he released a well-received debut trio record More in 2012. In the sleeve notes to
this new album Shine he describes his
aim as wanting to combine the best of two worlds: '- the openness, curiosity
and energy of jazz, and the power, catchiness and the production techniques of
pop'. At first glance this was not a project to set my pulses racing as it has
never seemed to me a combination that enriches either genre. And this was
confirmed somewhat by a number of the tracks that feature the piano/keys over
the solid rhythm section and various background washes of synths and
programming. Enjoyable but not particularly outstanding.

Friday, August 29, 2014

Radio 3 is the place to be this
Saturday (August 30). Kathy Stobart
is remembered on Jazz Record Requests (5:00pm) - nice one Hugh! and Brass Jaw come from the Edinburgh Fringe at six o’clock (Jazz
Line-Up). The midnight appreciation of Mose
Allison should be worth a listen (Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz) then on Sunday
afternoon Radio 4 (1:30pm) broadcasts a programme that isn’t about jazz or
maybe it is…The Map That Made Manhattan
is a half hour documentary ‘Filled with the sounds and atmosphere of New
York...’ Odds on a film noir, Bowery Boys, Hopper-esque soundtrack!

This being the holiday season most
of the sections in the Strictly Smokin’ Big Band were bolstered by deps. The
band’s last Thursday in the month date at the Millstone goes from strength to
strength – no matter who answers Michael Lamb’s call, all do a sterling job.

A late summer upturn in the
weather made for something approaching a summer evening; the upstairs room in
the Millstone on Haddricks Mill
Road resembled a boiler shop. Beer, wine, bottled
water, all slaked a thirst. The first set started slightly late due to a
straggling dep who shall remain nameless. Once Paul Grainger was set-up and
ready to go (oops!), a cracking take on Lester
Leaps In featured the first of many tenor solos from Jamie Toms. JT took
full advantage of the absent Paul Gowland, the second tenor chair being
occupied by dep Kim Webb. Blues Machine
heard solos from Keith Robinson (alto) and trombone section stalwart Mark
Ferris with the reeds’ ensemble work a highlight.

As I [Ann Alex] write this, I’m not
sure if I’m a restaurant critic, jazz reviewer or diarist, as this event had
all these elements mixed up together. My long-standing friend Mary and I were
meeting to eat at Davanti's, an Italian restaurant next to Porters Coffee House on Tynemouth Metro Station (I hadn't realised they had porters on metro stations, I certainly didn't see any - perhaps they were all drinking coffee.)Delicious: I had vegetable
lasagne, followed by tiramisu, Mary treated herself to chicken risotto, then
cheesecake. (I sound like Lance on Mondays at the Cherry Tree.) We next looked at photos of Mary’s
grandchildren, aged 2 and 5 (aaah) and of myself singing on a Tyne
ferry trip in 2012 (best not to ask!).

Thursday, August 28, 2014

This was posted as a comment on an earlier post but I felt the sincerity expressed by Colin deserved more. (Lance.)

-----

"I'm pleased to see that Willie Payne is so well respected and
remembered.I
first watched Willie on TTT where he used to sit in the canteen with his guitar
until an announcement said “willie to Studio?”

He would go to the studio and play solo jazz as long as
needed. This was in the days of unedited TV.

The saddest thing I heard him say was, when he was in the
resident band at the Sands Club, Whitley Bay he was thinking of swopping his
jazz guitar for “one of those electric things” so he could fit into the band
better. Hope he never did.

My other local hero was Charlie Smith. I took over studio
guitar after Charlie (with Ken Maddison}.Charlie
told me he was a banjo player but got a gig on guitar so he pawned his banjo
and tuned the guitar like his banjo. He thought afterwards, there must be more
to the guitar than this and a long term love started."

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

This is an absolutely enthralling compilation. Contemporary? Yes! Melodic? Most certainly!! Touchstone For Manu is one of those very rare occasions when it DOES mean a thing if it ain't got that swing! Then again, maybe it does have that swing, Upon reflection, that swing is there in all good jazz, even if we don't always recognise it! We can be fooled as sometimes it's disguised in different forms, time signatures, even when there is no discernible time signature, key or changes. But, if it's got it, it's got it.

As Lieber and Stoller, Peggy Lee and Zoe Gilby have said - Some Cats Know.

Tuesday, August 26, 2014

We all remember Lord Richard Attenborough for his various roles in films such as The Great Escape and my personal favourite Brighton Rock (The remake didn't even come close) but Simon Spillett has drawn my attention to this still from the film All Night Long.

In the picture "Dickie" is on vibes next to Tubby Hayes (also on vibes) with Allan Ganley on the left of the shot. Somebody remind me who the bass player is? Mingus was in the film but it sure ain't him!

RIP Lord Attenborough, sadly missed.

Lance.
PS: He also did a pretty good job on mass murderer Christie in 10 Rillington Place...
PPS: Here's the opening ten minutes to All Night Long - sent by John Taylor.

This was like walking back in time and encountering the ghosts of the Panama Jazzmen, the Rivermouth Jazzmen, the River City Jazzmen, Clem Avery, Hughie Aitchison's Cellarmen and various reincarnations of the Vieux Carré Jazzmen - the latest of which had been playing that very afternoon but a couple of miles away across the river (as the seagull flies).

The silver haired audience showed their appreciation of the silver haired stomping Savannahs, applauding solos and laughing at the jokes.

Monday, August 25, 2014

The Outhouse, which is home to
the weekly Playtime series of Thursday jazz concerts and hosted Playtime’s
first Fringe run this year, has been presenting jazz on the Fringe since 2009
and this year featured American singers Barbara Morrison and Lillian Boutté and
Barbadian saxophonist Arturo Tappin as well as shows involving Scottish
musicians including singer Alison Affleck and pianist David Patrick.

Today isn't just a Bank Holiday - if you're a Trad fan then it is the Bank Holiday!

Over on the north sde of the river we have two sessions stomping under the Jazz in the Afternoon banner.

Firstly we have the band of the same name strutting their stuff at their regular Monday lunchtime session at Cullercoats Club (1pm) then, just along the coast, the Vieux Carré Jazzmen are entertaining commuters and daytrippers on Tynemouth Station (1-4pm.).

In the evening we move south of the river to the Customs House in South Shields where West Yorkshire's top classic jazzmen - the Savannah Jazz Band - take to the stage at 7.45pm.

The band, which features Roger Myerscough on clarinet (no stranger to this area) have a pedigree too lengthy to list here so I suggest a visit to their websiteto discover what's in store for you tonight!.

Sunday, August 24, 2014

New plots have recently been released next to Jazz Corner in
WoodlawnCemetery, NYC and three quarters of them have already been
snapped up. One dyed-in-the-wool fan paid a jazz-cool $10,000 for her spot near
to those of Duke, Miles et al.

Meanwhile, in the land of the living jazz musician, Trombone
Shorty continues to tour the album – Say That to Say This – and in doing so continues to speak of the devastating aftermath
of Hurricane Katrina. TS was one of the lucky ones. He got out of New Orleans, heading
for Houston, making it far as Dallas (the eight hour
journey taking him more than twenty hours). He switched on the tv in his hotel
room to see friends and neighbours clinging to rooftops. He formed his first
band at a young age recruiting his peers…four, five and six year olds!

Thanks to the BBC World Service for fulfilling its public
service jazz broadcasting remit – Weekend for the Woodlawn item (6.05am) and Outlook for interviewing Trombone
Shorty (7.32am). Both programmes broadcast August 24 and available for 7 days on BBCiplayer..

Larry Fuller’s second piano trio
album as a leader showcases his formidable technique in the mainstream
tradition. Fuller, pianist in bassist Ray Brown’s last trio, also
worked with Ernestine Anderson and John Pizzarelli among others. There is no
doubt that Oscar Peterson is a huge influence on Larry’s style together with
other forceful players like Gene Harris and Monty Alexander. The material is all
very familiar – three songs from the GASbook, eight jazz classics plus a more
contemporary item.

Friday, August 22, 2014

Next week sees some jazz happenings at the Customs House, South Shields and some jazz not happening at the Customs House, South Shields.

First the good news.

On Monday (August 25) the very stomp-worthy Savannah Jazz Band strut their stuff. Lovers of New Orleans style jazz will not want to miss this one! 7.45pm - £15.

Then on Thursday (August 28) there is a double treat in store. Ruth Lambert serenades the diners with a lunchtime special. Regarded as one of the top jazz singers in and beyond the area Ruth's trio will enhance any menu. 1pm. £12.50 inc. light lunch.

In the evening, long before the sun goes down, the Big Chris Barber Band play a mix that runs from New Orleans to Harlem with some Ellington and Bechet thrown in alongside the classics associated with the legendary trombonist. 7.45pm £20.

Now the bad news.

Friday's concert by YolanDa Brown will not take place on Friday August 29. Instead the popular saxist has, I'm told, been rescheduled to appear in March 2015.

BBC and ITV fall short in marking
the passing of Lauren Bacall. ITV
screens Murder on the Orient Express (Saturday
23 August, 3:55pm).On Monday the Beeb does a little better with a repeat
showing of Talking Pictures (BBC 2,
1:30pm) and at five past two settle down to North West Frontier.

TheBig Chris Barber Band
can be heard in concert on Jazz Line-Up
(Saturday, Radio 3, 6:00pm) recorded at the recent Brecon Jazz Festival. Barber
follows your five o’clock appointment with Jazz
Records Requests. HolidayMonday
Jazz on 3 (11:00pm) reports from Jazzahead
in Bremen.
Wednesday’s Proms Plus Late (Radio
3, 10:00pm) presents a poet – Dominic Hale – and the Ashley Henry Trio. The AH3
(Leeds College of Music graduates) are Henry (piano), Simon Read (bass) and Sam
Gardner (drums).

Moira Stuart’s Strong and Sassy – Inspiring Women of Jazz concludes
with two icons in the spotlight (Carmen
McRae and Sarah Vaughan) on
Thursday evening over on Radio 2 at 10:00pm.

Those around me expressed reservations when it was revealed that "The Pilgrims" would be sans Edis and Burns. However, when Wright hit the ground 'strumming,' the doubters became devotees as the young Fenderman, spurred on by Walker and Susans, laid down the first of the evening's grooves.

Blue-Eyed
Hawk are a London-based band who take their name from a line in a W.B.
Yeats poem Under the Moon. This their debut album, titled
after the same poem.

The
album is a record sellers nightmare, as it defies classification by
genre. While there are certainly elements of jazz in what is
offered, it would probably not be out of place any of the
conventional categories.

Writing is shared between all four musicians, each
contributing in more or less equal measure
across the album. Kinsella and Jurd also
wrote some of the lyrics with acknowledgements of inspiration
to W.B.
Yeats, Seamus Heaney, and Armand Silvestre.

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Don't miss Hoochie tonight - it will be superb. Regular Monthly house band The Pilgrim St Set return for a
funked up, jazzed up, collection of tunes known & unknown. This month's line
up features regulars Paul Susans (bass), Rob Walker (drums), Gary Turner (sax) with special guest Lloyd Wright (guitar)
launching The Pilgrim St Set's "Book of Groove" - A device for
getting new & classic grooves into the set.

(Review by Lance.).Remember Jackie & Roy - Jackie Cain & Roy Kral - who provided the bop vocals in Charlie Ventura's Bop For The People band and who, later on, recorded many albums under their own name? Of course you do and so do I. They were a class act.Well, in the form of Ginger Berglund and Scott Whitfield, they ride again and in good company (see list of featured soloists below). Add the music of Johnny Mandel, lyrics by such as Dave Frishberg and Alan and Marilyn Bergman and arrangements by Whitfield, who also cooks up some tasty trombone solos, and you have the recipe for a very satisfying album.

This
is Andy Milne's first recording for Whirlwind Recordings. It is Dapp
Theory's third release and features guest performances from Ben
Monder (guitar), and Jean Baylor and Gretchen Parlato (vocals).

Dapp
Theory was formed by Milne in 1998 to “tell passionate
stories, promote peace and inspire collective responsibility towards
uplifting the human spiritual condition”.
The music seeks to explore the truths that exist in universal wisdom,
while creatively expressing life’s journeys.

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

This year the Chapel Allerton Festival in Leeds features the Leeds Youth Jazz Rock Orchestra, just back from a tour of South Africa, bassist Simon Read's new Octet with rising trumpet star Laura Jurd, Richard Ormrod’s seven piece ska tribute to John Coltrane “A Dread Supreme”, trumpeter Enrico Marchesi’s brand new edition of his salsa band “Bourbon et Tequila” and the nine piece blues band led by guitarist Al Morrison- the Blues Experience. All these dates are onSunday 31 August- the music starts at 12.30pm and finishes at 5.30pm and costs only £3 in the famous festival buckets.

Monday, August 18, 2014

On leaving the Black Bull at the
end of the evening one astute listener said: Paul was inspired tonight! Pianist Paul Edis is at the top of his game
and one wonders what the future holds. The intimate jazz club setting will
continue to offer Edis opportunities to play but what of the bigger stage (the
concert hall platform)? Piano trios are big news, they’re everywhere – Sage
Gateshead, the London
halls, the Big Apple, splashed over double page spreads in the jazz press. If
there was any justice Edis would be landing at JFK ahead of a headline
appearance at the Village Vanguard!

The Annual Whitley Bay Classic Jazz Party, which this year takes
place over the weekend of November 7-9 at the Village Hotel near Shiremoor, is
an event that attracts musicians and classic jazz fans from all over the world.
Deservedly so as you will discover when you click on the poster at the top of
the left hand column.

On the Monday following this year's Jazz Party weekend, Julio
Schwarz Andrade and Paul Adams from LakeRecords are planning to
record an album of tunes that Bix is known to have played, but that he never
recorded. Andrade and Adams intend to use some of the great musicians coming to
the CJP, particularly those who know the Bix style inside out, so it's going to
be world-class Jazz recorded in Newcastle!

In May 2014 Chris Hodgkins
retired after 29 years as Director of Jazz Services, the UK’s national support organisation
for jazz. Chris is a fine trumpeter and composer in his own right as well as
being a tireless champion for British jazz. For this very special night Chris
celebrates his long career as a leading advocate for jazz with a stellar
line-up of top UK
musicians.

Who in their right mind would arrange an open air gig in August! August in Newcastle? Not exactly Autumn in New York - more like Summer in Siberia. The wind howled, the audience shivered and the band blew - did they not!

22 tried and tested numbers that somehow sound different every time you hear them. Vocals by James and Lindsay and some fantastic solos made this an afternoon to remember.

Saturday, August 16, 2014

The Jazz Café’s last night of the
summer season until September and the place was busy. More than busy, the place
was packed. And no wonder, Zoe Gilby was holding court. A gig or two in the
West Country, hundreds of miles on the clock, then back home to fulfil an
engagement at the Pink Lane
establishment.

Belated information has come through that drummer Frankie Dunlop died last month (July) aged 85. Best remembered as a member of the definitive Thelonious Monk Quartet I personally remember him from a Lionel Hampton concert at Newcastle City Hall (see photo) back in 1983 - he retired shortly after, his name a legend in jazz drumology.

Instead of playing masterly keyboard, Dominic proved to be equally adequate on lead guitar albeit without the flamboyance of Tim Bloomer - in the audience tonight after a continental trip fell through. The erstwhile keyboardist did a solid job as did his replacement, London based, Dan Fawzi.

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Two opportunities this weekend to
hear the long-established Tees Valley Jazzmen. On Saturday afternoon the TVJ
entertain diners at the Devonport Hotel at the new time of 1:30pm. The hotel is in Middleton One Row (16-18
The Front), Darlington. DL2 1AS. The
proprietor’s advice is to arrive early as the fortnightly session tends to get
rather busy. Telephone: 01325 332255.

On Sunday afternoon the TVJ turn
up in Spennymoor at the Olive Grove on Half Moon Lane
(DL16 6HQ). Stomp off at the smart eaterie 1:00pm. Telephone: 01388 205689.

First, a reminder of an
unmissable television event this Sunday (17 August) – Battle of the Bands (BBC4, 7:00pm) featuring Clare Teal, Gregory
Porter and two big bands slugging it out at this year’s Proms. Meanwhile on the
wireless (the pictures are better) Bruce Turner is one of the requests on Jazz Record Requests (Radio 3, 5:00pm)
and Jazz Line-Up, broadcast later
than usual at 8:45pm (Radio 3), airs the second part of a concert recorded in
Prague by John Scofield’s fantastic Uberjam Band.

Monday (18 August) tune into Paul Jones (Radio 2, 7:00pm) for an
appreciation of the late Johnny Winter. At 11:00pm retune to Jazz on 3 (Radio 3) for some Edinburgh
Festival highlights. Switch over to BBC 6 Music for a late night treat (2:00am)
Alexis Korner: Rhythm and Blues Champion
(the first of two programmes). Jamie
Cullum meets Ben Jaffe, leader of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band (Radio 2,
Tuesday, 7:00pm) and at eleven o’clock Barry
Manilow (Bazza on BSH!) looks at the work of Sammy Kahn in They Write the Songs. Finally, on
Thursday the third part of Moira Stuart’s Strong
and Sassy – Inspiring Women of Jazz (Radio 2, 10:00pm) focuses on Adelaide
Hall.

I must confess that I can't recall ever seeing a Robin Williams movie although I'm sure, given the media coverage, he was a major star and due to the nature of his passing it is a story that will run and run.

By contrast, Lauren Bacall, who died August 12 aged 89, was a long time favourite of mine and I find it sad that the death of this icon has been overshadowed by that of Robin Williams.

The jazz content in her life?

Well there was the movie Young Man With a Horn with soundtrack by Harry James (it purported to tell the story of Bix but didn't). The Big Sleep where she croaked her way through And Her Tears Flowed Like Wine. To Have and to Have Not with Hoagy Carmichael singing Am I Blue? (it was claimed her voice was dubbed by Andy Williams!) and the famous line [to husband in real life Bogart] "You don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything and you don't have to do anything. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."Sadly missed.

You've got to hand it to them, they do it every year! The Scottish National Jazz Orchestra never fail to come up with a winner. Last year it was In the Spirit of Duke, this year it's Bobby Wellins' Culloden Moor Suite featuring the composer himself on tenor sax.

Originally recorded by Wellins' Quartet over 50 years ago this big band version (a specially commissioned orchestration by Florian Ross) captures the drama, the bloodyness of battle, the emotive air of tragedy on the killing fields that was Culloden Moor in 1746. Wellins pours his Scottish soul into this epic musical enactment of that dark historical chapter. Perhaps no one could portray it better than the Glasgow born saxophonist, nor could he find a more supportive army than the first battalion of the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra.

Restaurant gigs, any musician will tell you, are gigs where the music runs a distant third behind the Crêpe Suzette or the latest piece of gossip! Even at a jazz orientated estab. such as the Cherry Tree I've witnessed some of the most wonderful music being totally unappreciated by the diners.

Monday, August 11, 2014

A classic organ trio capable of laying down a groove without being stuck in a rut. The format may at times bring to mind past organ masters such as Shirley Scott, McDuff, McGriff or Wild Bill Davis but the end product is a few decades further down the line and more in keeping with the jazz of today (but fortunately not tomorrow!)

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Listening to an interview with Jiggs Wigham (pictured at Corner House 1984) on Gary Copley's Sunday night show on Radio York/Leeds - 6pm-9pm. Urbie Green playing Love Walked In. - the bench mark for all trombone players!

The August meeting at the AJC attracted our best audience
of the year with the appearance of the Paul Skerritt Band. This was a first
time for the Club witnessing an up-front male vocalist singing
throughout the evening. Dave Hedley of the River City Jazzmen may have
come close to this in the past and occasionally male instrumentalists in other bands vocalized
but at this session the voice led from the front.

Saturday, August 09, 2014

Pianist Kenny Drew Jr. passed away on August 3. I only heard him once, some years back (2007), at Sage Gateshead with the Mingus Big Band. I was impressed.
Although his father was a renowned pianist he claimed not to have been influenced by him - perhaps it was in the genes.
Whatever, Kenny Drew Jr. left a considerable recorded legacy.
Sadly missed.
He was 56 years old...Obituary.Lance.

Previous keyboardists had opted for Nords and Rolands and other 'thingys' but Dr Edis elected to use the much maligned steam piano.

Tonight, that noble animal, under the capable jockey-ship of Paul Edis, proved itself to be no longer a selling plater but a potential Derby winner!

The trainer, or rather the tuner, had done the job well and the sound was superb, as was the playing.

Opening up with What is This Thing Called Love? (surrounded as I was by three charming ladies it was a question I too posed!) Paul impressed and the inevitable round of fours that are de rigueur with trios didn't do too much harm (actually they were great!)

By my
reckoning the Cherry Tree has been running its free Monday night jazz sessions
for at least five years and as far as I am aware, the sessions have taken place
every Monday regardless of summer holidays and other events. This probably
makes it the most consistent jazz session in the North East, which is no mean
achievement. As I live just a couple of drumbeats away I have been there on
quite a few occasions and have always had a good time both musically and
gastronomically. I have heard all the best local and regional musicians in a
variety of different bands some longstanding formations, others creatively
brought together for the occasion. Also, musicians and singers from further
afield pass through and often present a feast of great jazz.

Lance said ‘You’ll love
this CD’ and he certainly wasn’t wrong, though I still don’t know what a ‘cuatro
puertorrqueno’ is. It sounds like a
Spanish medicine. The sintir is
apparently a 3-stringed bass lute, so think Medieval for that one. Anyway this is a humdinger of great
listening, a whirl of world sounds, encompassing Bulgarian dance song, Moroccan
chaabi grooves, Italian folk ballads and slinky tango rhythms. Not jazz as such, but some tracks have what
sound like improvised solos, so why worry about classifying it, the music is
superb.

Friday, August 08, 2014

[Getz's reply]: "Technically speaking, yes. I
suppose it's the easiest from that point of view. Just toplaythe saxophone - well, that's not so hard to
learn. But mere playing isn't enough. To be any good you have to play the
saxophoneproperly, as you would any other instrument; you have to get a good musical
sound and that is not so easy at all. The saxophone is - well, you might call
it a b******d instrument. It's not pure, like the violin or the piano or the
trumpet. You don't see any saxophones in symphony orchestras, you'll notice.
The tenor, especially, is out of tune, in a sense, and a musician can pretty
much make of the tenor saxophone what he will. That's one reason why there are
so many tenor styles - or noises...To anyone just starting out who wants to
study the tenor I'd suggest he first study piano, first learn what music itself
is all about; the first thing is to become amusician, then a tenor saxophone player..."

From the sleeve notes to the above album. Thanks to Simon Spillett for sharing this quote which is very true.

Scottish fifteen-piece fusion
collective Fat-Suit have announced their first European tour, beginning later
this month. The band, which formed last year and has been hailed as the
Scottish representation of the spirit of Loose Tubes and American funksters Snarky
Puppy, has made a big impression at Aberdeen and Edinburgh jazz festivals this
year and recently caused much excitement at the more mainstream music event,
the Wickerman Festival in the Scottish Borders.

The Jazz Co-op, based at The Globe pub, Newcastle languishes in the shadow of the Metro Arena. However, as the refurbishment gains momentum the languishing and the shadows are receding and, as befits its location on Railway Street, it's full steam ahead with some ambitious programming.

This includes an appearance by the Clark Tracey Quintet on Saturday November 1 (plus afternoon drum workshop by CT) and a mouthwatering gig by American saxist Benn Clatworthy in the company of fellow American Cecilia Coleman on piano with Brits Simon Thorpe and Matt Home on bass and drums respectively. This latter gig is on Thursday November 20.

More details of these and other happenings can be found on theCo-op's website.

What happens when you put two of Australia's
most inventive bands together, one taking a completely fresh look at the
classic jazz piano trio, the other reinventing chamber music? You get music
like no other - music that sounds like right now, with infectious grooves and
seductive melodies, taking the best from a plethora of influences.

Wednesday, August 06, 2014

My knowledge of Klezmer music could be written in two words with the latter word being "all". Now, such are the all encompassing tentacles of this music we call jazz, with the landing of this disc on my doormat, I'm expected to be an expert on yet another of the jazz fringes!

In actual fact, Klezmer is probably less of a fringer than so much contemporary improv is!

The house trio set the bar level high on Bouncing With Bud and Wave. Bradley Johnston kept it there Meeting Miss Jones in the process. Ray Burns gave us Body and Soul. All the Things You Are, There Will Never be Another You and Cantaloupe Island followed bringing a new bass player on stage. Wearing a jauntily angled baseball cap I pigeon-holed him as a rapper or a hiphopper - how wrong can you get? James Creswick, of the musically notable Creswick family, proved to be as adept a jazz bassist as his father is a violinist and conductor.

Playing original material, the guitarist displays sensitivity and a lyricism normally associated with longer, more established names. Reflective and thoughtful, this is music to devour whilst languishing in the shade. Even the up-tempo swingers are relaxed such is the warmth of his playing.

On drums, Abba is indeed a Super Trouper soloing and supporting, sympathetically contributing to the ambiance of the album. Likewise, bassist Kneeland adds his own brand of melodic and harmonic awareness to the mix.

Previous albums include Citizen Kain, No Pain No Kain - what's the odds the next one will be Sugar Kain?

(Review by JC). Almunecar is a very pretty coastal town
on the Costa Tropical in Southern Spain. One
thing it's famous for is being the town where Laurie Lee ended up after his
epic walk through the length of the country in 1936 with just a fiddle and a
loaf of bread in a knotted handkerchief on the end of a stick as luggage.
Unfortunately, he arrived in the middle of the Spanish civil war and things
were a bit dangerous as the next town along was on a different side to
Almunecar, so eventually he had to be rescued by the British navy. He later
wrote about his adventures in his book As
I walked Out One Midsummer Morning.

Just watched/listened to the Sant Andreu Jazz Band with alto player Jesse Davis playing Benny Carter's Easy Money. Even taking alto wiz Davis out of the equation this still adds up to one superb band - imagine what they'll be like when they leave school!

The sun was shining but the wind had arrived via Siberia which meant that sitting supping wasn't as serene a setting as it usually is at the Cumberland Arms. Nonetheless, Iceni* generated enough heat to ensure that our timbers didn't shiver too much.

Sunday, August 03, 2014

This was billed in the Jazz Café leaflet
as a different take on the Great American Songbook and it more than lived up
to its description from the very first song, Don’t Get Around Much Any More right through to the last, a
stomping blues, with a special appearance by Pete Gilligan on the house piano .In between we were treated to standards
played as skilfully and entertainingly as we've come to expect from this hugely
talented duo.

A laid back, relaxed evening of classic modern jazz piano. Communication with the audience may have been done through the music rather than with words but, what music!

A tried and tested selection of standards and originals by a pianist who is now legendary in north east jazz circles. As The Bard once wrote, back in 1606, Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety. Fast forward 400 years, substitute his for her and Will could have been writing about tonight!

Friday, August 01, 2014

Not really relevant to a jazz blog except Hudson Taylor happen to be the sons of Andy Hudson former leader of Newcastle Big Band and co-promoter of various jazz festivals in Newcastle, Middlesbrough and London (Capital Jazz Festival).

Zane Lowe nominated Hudson Taylor's Chasing Rubies as Radio Two's Hottest Record of the Week - check it out here. There's 4 days to go.

Drum legend Idris Muhammad passed away Tuesday July 29 aged 74.
In career that began with Fats Domino and Blueberry Hill, Muhammad played with many jazz greats including Gene Ammons, Lou Donaldson, Ahmad Jamal, Andrew Hill and Pharoah Saunders proving an inspiration to others drummers and a musician capable of crossing all genres.
Rest In Peace.Obituary.Lance.

National
Youth Jazz Collective (NYJC) is recruiting a new Chair for its Board of
Trustees - deadline 5pm 19th September

After
five years of service, NYJC’s beloved chair, Martin Kemp, is stepping
down

“Now
is the time for a new chair to take over, to work closely with NYJC’s Artistic
Director and CEO as she leads NYJC into its recently elevated status of NPO,
filling a key role in driving the organisation forward through a period of
significant change and expansion”

In the upper room, the disciples of the SSBB numbered many more than the traditional twelve. The gospel had been preached even unto Cullercoats from whence many travelled overland to worship and drink goblets of Real Ale.

It was well worth the journey to the promised land for yea verily this nomadic band of musical vagabonds were in fine form.

Submissions for review

Whilst we appreciate the many emails, texts, messages and other communications we receive requesting album/gig reviews on BSH, regrettably, we are unable to reply to them all other than those we are able to answer with a positive response.

Similarly, CDs received by post will only be considered if accompanied by sufficient background material.

Finally, bear in mind that this is a jazz-based site when submitting your album.

Lance

About this blog - contact details.

Bebop Spoken Here -- Here, being the north-east of England -- centred in the blues heartland of Newcastle and reaching down to the Tees Delta and looking upwards to the Land of the Kilt.Not a very original title, I know; not even an accurate one as my taste, whilst centred around the music of Bird and Diz, extends in many directions and I listen to everything from King Oliver to Chick Corea and beyond. Not forgetting the Great American Songbook the contents of which has provided the inspiration for much great jazz and quality popular singing for round about a century.The idea of this blog is for you to share your thoughts and pass on your comments on discs, gigs, jazz - music in general. If you've been to a gig/concert or heard a CD that knocked you sideways please share your views with us. Tell us about your favourites, your memories, your dislikes.Lance (Who wishes it to be known that he is not responsible for postings other than his own and that he's not always responsible for them.)